As the price of pints keeps on rocketing and more pubs are trading football for flat whites there is an underground movement rumbling throughout the UK. In gardens everywhere from Beckenham to Bradford; Games Rooms, Micro Bars and Marvellous Man Caves are sprouting their quite beautiful heads and creating a revolution. Wave goodbye to the long walk down the road for a flat lager and a packed out beer garden and say hello to your own back yard – this isn’t just a garden building, it’s a brave new world.

Escapism has long been a fascination for mankind, finding a place to unwind relax and escape the stresses of everyday life can be hard. Some people find it in the gym, others find it in a book and many find it in the form of Lethal Weapon 3 Pinball Machine.
Building your own cave is the ultimate indulgence; you can sculpt it around you and what you like without having to worry about the general public. If you don’t like a song, don’t worry! With your own hideout you will no longer have to gaze hopelessly into your drink for 3 and half minutes whilst waiting for the latest pop anthem to finish and reality to kick back in – you can get yourself your own Juke Box and charm your friends with your tunes (they look gorgeous as well!).

And don’t you just hate it when you go to have a game of pool only to find 5 50p’s sitting at the side of the table as people queue to use the beaten up cues? Au Revoir to that – get your own Pool Table and become a master of the game – you really can create your own little haven right at the back of your house.

Whilst this all may sound like fun and games there is one serious thing to think about and that’s the quality of the building you’re in. The last thing you want on a wet and windy night is your beloved jukebox being ruined due to leaky ceilings and damp walls, so having a well built, well-insulated and reliable building is the key to having a great games room. Remember, this cave/room will eventually becoming your baby so treat it like one – keep it warm and safe and look after it as best you can from the start. Do not cut corners/costs on the initial outlay as it can end up coming round and biting you in the backside so always make sure the building is to the highest standard. If you’re unsure as to what is required to create a suitable environment for you and your new beloved devices, head over here to read the tech specs of exactly what you need to be looking for.

Games rooms are revolutionising the way we spend our downtime so stop sitting in the dark dingy pub and bring the pub to your garden! Kit your room out with all the things you love and party the evening away 24/7, 365 days of the year – who wouldn’t love a night of pinball, pool, good tunes and ice cold beers at a small fraction of the price of the pub?

There are a lot of companies selling garden offices and outdoor rooms on the web and it can be a daunting proposition choosing the right construction to suit your needs.

If you are planning on working from your garden all year round, then choosing a building that has adequate insulation to keep you warm through the winter is imperative. You might be tempted with a Summerhouse and whilst they are lovely to look at, the chances are they are not going to be designed with a view to keeping you warm.

The winter of 2015/2016 started off relatively mild and wet. We walked around as if winter was never going to come or had forgotten to turn up. In gardens throughout the UK daffodils and snowdrops were hoodwinked into believing that spring had arrived.

Of course, this mild weather was never going to continue and a couple of weeks ago a bitter north- westerly front moved in from the Arctic sending the mercury below freezing and this week we’re contending with storm Imogen.

What has this to do with Garden Offices?

‘That’s all very well but what has this got to do with garden offices’, I hear you say – well, everything.

Garden offices not only come in all shapes and sizes but are also built to different specifications. For example, the garden summerhouse is not designed for use during the winter months. If it were a sleeping bag it would be a season 1.

The wall thickness of a summerhouse and ensuing cavity insulation will be non-existent and minimal at best. A garden office intended for all year use will need to be well insulated.

The other very important aspect that a lot people do not realize is that good insulation is also paramount for keeping a building cool in the summer as it acts as a barrier between the outside and the inside.

In the winter it keeps the heat in by impeding its loss to the outside.

The insulation specification varies between companies, so check this carefully when considering the right garden office for you.

Gembuild’s garden offices are built to the highest standards. Their above ground construction is identical to a modern timber framed home. Each office is insulated to the highest specification and have walls that are 170mm thick and a cavity four times larger than most of their competitors.They have u-values of 0.22 to the floor, 0.33 to the walls and 0.23 to the roof. (Download Gembuild’s 2016 brochure for more information)

The u-value is a measure used in the building trade to demonstrate how efficient the insulating material is at inhibiting heat loss. It is important to understand that the lower the u-value the better insulating properties the outdoor building will have.

The other positive aspect of having good insulation is of course its overall energy efficiency. This can only be a good thing as not only will it save you money on your electricity bills, but it is also a step in the right direction towards contributing towards the environment.

This photo is a picture of the Gembuild show unit. It was taken last winter during a particularly cold spell and is a good demonstration of just how well insulated the garden offices at Gembuild are.

It’s official!
People are looking for more space, so if you are planning on converting that spare room into an office then maybe you should think again.

According to an article in http://www.moneywise.co.uk space has overtaken location as the primary concern for homeowners. Potential buyers have a long shopping list when it comes to finding the perfect home and the idea of having to downsize their newly purchased property just so they can accommodate the office could be enough to put your potential buyers off.

In a world where businesses have adapted the way they communicate to the online realm, the location of where you work is becoming less important. A report by Kingfisher, the company that owns DIY chain B&Q, one in every five homeowners want more space and almost half want a home office.

With more people in the UK starting up their own businesses and others opting to spend at least part of their time out of the traditional workspace, this trend does not show any signs of abating any time soon. An extra bonus is that it can also add anything from 5% to the value of your property, so this could be a no-brainer.

Investing in a garden office building will not only add value to your property but if you decide to sell in the future, it will also allay the concerns of potential buyers over where to put that office. So, if extending your property is not a possibility then investing in a garden building might be worth considering.

If you have been mulling over the idea of an office in your garden but aren’t quite sure of the logistics then why not contact Gembuild directly. There is always somebody available to talk over your project and help you decide which garden office would best suit your needs.

The Warnham 25 for example, is perfect for the sole trader who works from home but has outgrown the spare room. It is attractively priced at £4,350.00 + VAT and will sit discreetly in any garden small or large.

If your business requires more space then you might want to upgrade to the Colgate. The cost of a Colgate starts at £7,835.00 + VAT and is based on the design of the traditional Sussex Barn. It is more spacious than the Warnham 25 and looks stunning in any setting.

Gem Build’s top of the range garden office is the Capel. This garden building is perfect for a business that requires complete anonymity from the main house. It costs £15,553.00 + VAT and this deluxe design includes a W.C. and kitchenette. Its internal floor space measures 4.2m x 3.6m allowing ample space for storage and for more than one person to work at one time. The Capel also includes beautiful French doors that can open up into the garden whenever you need a little bit of nature to keep you going.

All of the garden offices are built to a very high specification and standard of finish.

Working from home has never been so luxurious. To find out more why not give Gembuild a call now on 0800 096 5466 or 07867 800 242.

http://www.gembuild.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/001Colgate25-Sheffield.jpg12701276Katehttp://www.gembuild.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Gembuild-Garden-Offices-1.pngKate2015-11-30 12:00:002015-11-30 21:28:51Working from home? Why you should consider investing in a garden office building

As society moves towards flexible working hours and more people are choosing to work from home, any addition of space adds value to a family’s overall quality of life. A garden office allows you to work from home and there are many cost effective savings that can be made in doing so.

Garden offices come in all shapes and sizes and there are no rules as to what a garden office should look like. Everyone has different tastes to cater for and Gembuild have kept right on trend by adding beautifully constructed Shepherd’s Huts to their portfolio.

The Shepherd Hut was originally, as the name suggests used by shepherds. They were purpose built mobile units, used by the shepherd to keep warm and dry during harsh weather conditions. They were designed so that the shepherd could have a panoramic view of their precious flocks. The star ingredients being that they were mobile, weather proofed and could easily be moved from field to field when required.
By popular demand, Gembuild have created a fabulous bespoke take on the original Shepherd Hut specification and with prices starting at just £4,220.00 including all taxes, this makes it a very tempting potential acquisition.

The Shepherd Hut is highly versatile. Opt for the premium package and for £9,257 including VAT you could be the owner of a beautifully crafted construction, completely kitted out with all the mod cons, including a romantic wood-burning stove. Read more on the specifications on our website.

If you are looking for a garden office building but want something less intrusive and a little bit quirky then the Shepherd Hut is for you.

The Gembuild basic Shepherd Hut is built on a static chassis but if you are looking for a more portable option then for an extra £480 your hut can be built using a rolling chassis. This would enable you to move it to different places within your garden or campsite if and when required.

Another added bonus is that it can easily be transformed into a guest annex for those occasions where you might require a little extra space to accommodate visits from friends and family.

But Shepherd huts aren’t just restricted to being used as alternative garden offices. The increasing popularization of the Glamping holiday has made campsite owners eager to cater for the new demand in glamorous camping. From teepees to yurts the shepherd hut is the latest addition to the Glamping repertoire. Individuals who would come up in a rash at the mere mention of camping are taking up the challenge. Relinquishing an engrained addiction to the hotel room they are trying out Glamorous camping and actually liking it.

So if you have been toying with the idea but aren’t quite sure about the logistics why not talk directly with Gembuild today. They are always happy to discuss your garden office requirements and will be able to offer a solution that meets both your needs and your price point.

Further information

Call 0800 096 5466 for further information or an informal chat (see the contact page for all further information).

Garden buildings have a wide range of uses, whether it’s for work, leisure, relaxation or a combination of all three. Here’s our guide to the many different things they can be used for – there may be some you hadn’t thought of!

http://www.gembuild.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/gembuild-building-uses-infographic-3.jpg4092570Roy Thomashttp://www.gembuild.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Gembuild-Garden-Offices-1.pngRoy Thomas2015-07-28 16:44:422015-10-27 15:51:40Uses for a Garden Building

The great advantage of Siberian larch and Canadian cedar cladding is their high resistance to decay and high durability from natural preservatives. We use both types of cladding for our garden buildings and all our cladding is FSC or PEFC certified timber from well-managed forests.

Siberian larch has long been used for cladding in Russia and Europe and is very slow grown and consequently much denser, straighter grained and less knotty.

Western red cedar has become one of the most popular species of timber cladding, both internally and externally. The majority of red cedar is imported from North America, particularly Canada. It is also straight grained and largely free of knots.

Our cladding has a fifty year plus life without any need for treatment. The natural oils and resins within the boards keep them free from fungal and insect attack.

As well as a long maintenance free life, you’ll also get pleasure from seeing your garden office changing colour to a beautiful silvery grey.

We have had a cedar panel on test at our offices for over 7 years now (see below). This has gone through several stages of greying but has now settled into the lovely silver colour you see on old churches.

You must not confuse the natural and healthy weathering of your building with fungal attack. The progress of greying is influenced by rainfall and the orientation of the building, and eventually the whole unit will settle in to a uniform silver colour and will remain that way for the many years of life you can expect from a Gembuild garden building.

It may well go through 50 shades of grey before it reaches its final colour but I hope you will agree it was well worth waiting for! 😉

Hi. Welcome to Gembuild Garden Offices brand new website and news. Please bear with us whilst we populate our new blog page with all our latest garden office and studio news! In the meantime you can check out all our blogs prior to July 2014 by clicking on this link:

Our new website’s been a long time in the making but we’re really excited it’s finally finished. Thanks to Mark at Pilot Design in West Sussex and Linda at Starling Design in London for all your hard work!!! 🙂

ADVICE AND HELP

To find out more on how we can develop your garden building, or if you would like a quote, please call us for free on 0800 096 5466.Download our brochure to view the range of garden offices and studios we have to offer.